Congressional Committee Chairs
Vocabulary
Caucus-a meeting of party members within a legislative body to determine strategy and to select leaders
Civility-courtesy or politeness
Committee chair-the leader of a committee that controls the selection of committee staff, authorizes expenditures from the budget, establishes policies, and manages the day to day operations such as setting the agenda, calling hearings and witnesses, presiding over markups, and preparing committee reports
Committee hearings-meetings for obtaining information on proposed legislation, conducting investigations, or overseeing the implementation of federal law
Conference committee-a temporary committee formed to reconcile differences in House and Senate versions of a bill
Congressional Record-the record of the proceedings of the U.S. Congress, with a transcript of the discussion, published daily by the government while Congress is in session; committee rules are required to be published here.
Decorum-dignified or organized behavior and is the responsibility of the chair to maintain during hearings and committee procedures
Discharge petition-a means of bringing a bill out of committee for floor consideration without a committee report
Markup-a process by which proposed legislation is amended or rewritten
Partisanship-a psychological connection with a political party; partisanship is also understood as party affiliation
Seniority-a privileged status usually attained by years of continuous service that is influential in determining leadership roles in Congress
Steering Committee-a committee, usually consisting of those in leadership roles from both political parties, that makes committee assignment recommendations that are later confirmed by the Democratic Caucus and Republican Conference
Subcommittee- a subdivision of a committee that is assigned a portion of the committee’s jurisdiction, holds hearings, amends legislation, and reports to the committee